


A Day In The City

by TheWillowTree



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Gift Fic, Korrasami Creators Secret Santa, Mid Book 4, Secret Santa Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 08:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13143240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWillowTree/pseuds/TheWillowTree
Summary: Korra's been stressed out about defending Republic City. Asami finds her, and suggests an idea.





	A Day In The City

**Author's Note:**

> A Secret Santa gift fic! :)

“Damn it!” Korra says, as she stalks back through Republic City, kicking the ground. The spirits weren’t going to help. Not. A. Single. One.

She curses under her breath. Stupid spirits. Living in the same city she was, but not helping her defend it. Not assisting her in restoring balance to the universe. Not helping the world they were forced to come into…

She sighs, and comes to a stop.

No, she couldn’t ask them to do that. Not after everything she had done to them...

She stops, and stares at the ground, trying to will the dark thoughts away.

“Korra?”

Korra looks up. There’s Asami, walking down the street towards her, briefcase in hand. “Hey,” Korra smiles. “How you doing?”

Asami smiles back, in that way that makes Korra think it’s reserved, just for her. “I’m fine,” she says, and looks at her instead. “Are you?”

“No,” Korra admits, and leans against the wall. “What are you up to?”

“Getting these plans to the office,” Asami holds her briefcase up. “I just designed something brand-new for the defense Raiko wants us to do. Wanna see it?”

Korra grins. “I’d love to.” She straightens, and starts walking with Asami back to her office.

“Wait,” she says, suddenly realizing, “I’m not going to distract you, am I?”

“Actually, no, you were going to give me a break,” Asami laughs, and it’s bright and warm and wonderful, and Korra is enamoured by it. “Raiko’s been breathing down our necks for designing something strong enough to combat this supercannon. Personally, my brain’s been fried, but I’m trying.” Asami chuckles, and looks in the direction Korra came from. “No luck with the spirit vines either?”

“None!” Korra exclaims, and Asami stifles a laugh. “They don’t want to help, because it’s not their business and all blah blah…” Asami is snickering, and Korra frowns. “What?”

“Nothing,” Asami says, and fuck it, it’s not nothing, Korra thinks, as Asami slides her key into the lock. “I’ve just missed your pouting face.”

“Pouting...since when do I pout?!”

“Korra, I’ve known you for three years. You pout.”

Korra sticks out her lower lip, then blinks. Oh.

Asami laughs. Spirits, is it the most wonderful sound Korra’s ever heard…

“You know what...how ‘bout a break?”

Korra looks up at her. “Hmm?”

“Yes, a break. How about I drop these off at the office, and we go do something fun?”

Korra bites her lip. “I don’t wanna distract you from your work.”

“You’re not, trust me.” Asami smiles. “I could use a few minutes off. Let me get up to my office, first?”

“Yeah, sure! Okay. I’ll be here. Waiting.”

Asami leaves, and Korra’s grinning. She wonders what they’re gonna do.

 

* * *

 

Asami’s excited, and she doesn’t know why her heart’s beating. Well, she does, but that’s beside the point.

Korra needed to relax, and Asami was in desperate need for that time to be with her.

Well, when she’d suggested the idea, there’d been no thought to herself. Korra was tense, and stressed, and she needed a break. But then, as she thought about it…

No. First priority is Korra. She needs this. And if Asami is with her too, that’s not so bad, is it?

Asami picks up her keys and dashes back outside, where Korra is waiting for her. She smiles, and leads them to the Satomobile.

“I missed your driving,” Korra says, suddenly.

Asami looks up, from the car door. “I just weaved 30 miles over the speed limit, in and out of traffic yesterday.”

Korra laughs, stepping in and buckling in her seatbelt. “I mean...it’s relaxing, I mean. Sitting here while you drive.”

A fond smile crosses Asami’s face. “I’m glad you think so.”

 

* * *

 

It’s a calm and gentle feeling, Korra thinks, that takes over the car ride. Asami’s driving, one hand on the wheel, the other hanging out the window. Korra’s sitting, looking out at the city she left. She’s transported back to three years ago, on her very first car ride. Except now that the positions were reversed.

But the feeling is the same.

“What are you thinking?” Asami asks.

Korra tries to stem the swell of pride in her chest. “About how new the city looks,” she says, and finds that her current task isn’t easy. “About how all the buildings that weren’t here before, now are.” She looks at Asami, and her heart grows ten times its size. “You did a lot with the city.”

“Well,” Asami chuckles, “Raiko demanded that much.” Her smile turns sour. “Funny how, when you’re the one rebuilding his city, he treats you with kindness.”

“Never happened to me,” Korra barks, and she and Asami both laugh. She sighs, contentedly, and feels her heart settle. “Seriously, though, great job with the city. It looks fantastic!”

“Thanks,” Asami says, smiling. “I’m glad you like it.”

That makes her even more happy, though she doesn’t exactly know why. “And how have you been doing, Asami?”

“...I’ve been doing well,” Asami says, after a pause. “Rebuilding the city’s kept me busy, and the company’s been bursting with business. We’ve recently expanded to the Fire Nation, and started developing a new line of snowmobiles, in conjunction with the Southern Water Tribe. Well, that’s put on hold now, but…”

“Oh yeah? What kind of snowmobiles?”

“New engines,” Asami replies, and there’s a hint of excitement in her voice. “Faster speed. Better wheels, since the snow has hardened there since Harmonic Convergence. Just designed some new treads.”

“Ah,” Korra grins, and it’s as big as her heart. “Nothing like a new pair of snow treads that excites a Water Tribe girl.”

Asami laughs, and truly, were it not for the crisis they were in, Korra thinks she’d want to bask in that all day. “Well, I’ll be sure to let you test it first when we’re done.”

Korra thinks of Asami and her playing in the snow together, and a smile comes to her mind. “Where are we going first?”

Asami smirks. “My favorite place.”

 

* * *

 

 They arrive at a park.

It’s a very nice park, and Korra recognizes it as Harmony Park. But, she doesn’t recognize the giant statue in the middle.

“What is...that?” She points at it.

“It’s you,” Asami replies.

“I know, but why is it _there_?”

Asami laughs. “It’s a statue. To commemorate you.”

“But why is it…” Korra’s hands cover her face. “It’s so _big_ ,” she groans.

Asami chuckle warms her skin, and she tugs at Korra’s wrist. “Come on, this way.”

Korra follows, without a word. She silently glances at the area around them. Green meadows, crystal rivers, orchards in bloom. It’s like the city was prospering. The last time she’d been here, three summers ago, it still hadn’t bloomed as much as this.

“I had this park renovated, about two years ago,” Asami is saying, as she brushes her hand along peach blossom leaves. “I thought the city deserved some more green space- plus, it being totaled by the battle with Unalaq actually necessitated some changes. Can’t have half-blown holes in my city,” Asami smiles.

Korra grins. “No, we can’t have that.”

She watches a couple, then, playing with their baby, under some apple trees. The blossoms sway in the wind, and the baby laughs. Korra sighs.

This really is…

Oh Spirits. Was that-

“Asami, was ‘Avatar Korra Park’ part of your renovation?”

Asami shrugs nonchalantly at the sign in front of the gate. “I don’t know, Korra. I’ve had a long week, and you can’t expect me to remember everything.”

“Asami! Hey...wait up!” The woman’s made it all the way to the exit, before Korra’s running after her.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Asami calls. “We have more things to do!”

 

* * *

 

 It was a risk, Asami acknowledges, but it was worth it. She’ll tell Korra that she was the one to make the statue...later. For now, a tease and a laugh was enough.

They’re driving now, through the newer parts of the city that she’d renovated. So far, Korra seems

to have brightened. A few more smiles, a couple of careless laughs thrown in...Asami considers the job well done, so far.

“Whoa!” Korra exclaims, and points out the window. “Is that-?”

Asami grins. She hears Korra say, as they turn a corner: “Spirits! Those are vines!”

“Yup,” Asami says, not even looking to know which building she’s talking about.

“And those are...is that _glass_ between them?”

Asami bites her lip, and nods. Her toes are bouncing with excitement.

“Holy spirits, Asami, you reworked the spirits into the city!”

Asami finally laughs, and nods, excitedly. “I did! I rebuilt all the buildings with spirit vines in them. Well, not exactly.” Asami looks at the one Korra’s gazing at, a chrome building with vines wrapping around it. Instead of looking intruding though, the vines look like they’re helping. “The vines are supporting the building, helping it to stand. I know that they can’t be particularly relied on, but I thought they’d make a good extra-support brace for the new chrome framework we’ve been designing.”

“Asami, this is amazing.” Korra shakes her head. “Seriously, you’re... _wow._ ”

Asami chuckles, and asks, half-jokingly, “You really think so?”

Korra looks at her, and suddenly, Asami is met with her wide, stunning eyes.

It doesn’t take a second until Asami fully believes what Korra has said.

 

* * *

 

 They’re at a train station now, and Korra is _amazed_. Rail tracks stretch in all directions, miles and miles of steel. Steam churns out of the chimneys, chugging with every blow of the horn. The trains whistle, and shoot down at breakneck speed, down to a far-off city. Korra’s never seen anything like it in Republic City.

She looks at Asami, at her friend who’s designed all this, and she smiles. Spirits, she’s forgotten how smart Asami was.

“So,” Asami’s saying, indicating a passing train, “we just updated this station, which was running on coal before. Now, it’s a diesel engine, and it’s running much more efficiently! Plus, we’ve added more passenger trains, to carry more people, and furnished a few luxury cars for the finer citizens. So far…” She looks out at the crowded train depot. People carrying their belongings, to escape the city. “It’s serving well.”

She says something else, but Korra’s not hearing it. Instead, her eyes fall on something on the side of the waiting dock. She gulps. That wasn’t...that wasn’t there before.

Asami stops talking, and Korra licks her lips.

“That...I’ve never noticed that, before.”

Asami’s eyes rest on the wheelchair ramp.

“It’s new. I had them installed, everywhere in the city.”

Korra’s lip quivers. Oh Spirits…

Asami touches her hand, and it’s gentle, and soft. “Just in case somebody needed them.”

Before she knows it, a tear’s falling from her face. Many more follow, soon after.

 

* * *

 

“I brought you some tea. I thought you might be cold out here.”

Asami watches as Korra turns around, and smiles. “You’re so sweet,” she says, coming off the banister, “thanks.”

Asami breathes an internal sigh of relief. She’s been antsy ever since they finished their tour of the city, wondering if Korra’s spirits had been lifted…

Asami. Think about Korra.

She focuses back on her.

“Are you okay? You seem out of sorts.”

Korra sighs. “Sorry…”

She goes on to talk about her problems, her issues of bringing balance to the world, how she doesn’t feel she belongs in it...

Asami listens, and tries her best to help, because she’s _needed_ to for three years.

Tenzin comes, much to their surprise, and talks to Korra. He reassures her of her role in the world, and how much she has grown, from a young, selfish girl to a mature, caring woman. Asami smiles through it all, fully believing in every word. It’s good to finally hear someone else voicing what she thought.

Korra sighs, but seems to agree, and she thanks Tenzin for his words. He walks away, with a nod to Asami.

Korra exhales, a little shaky, but firm. “You want to sit with me for a moment? I’m not ready to go in for dinner yet.”

Asami smiles, and, not voicing the loud _‘Yes!’_ that rings in her heart, leans against the banister. Korra chews her lip, looking at the ground.

“Anything on your mind?” Asami asks.

“No, just…” Korra’s smile grows, and she laughs, a little too hearty for anything that’s ‘no, just...’ “I was thinking…”

“Should I be alarmed?”

A grin appears, slowly. “I was just thinking about you.”

Asami blinks. “Oh?”

“Yeah. I was thinking about all you’d done for the city.”

“Oh,” Asami croaks. Is she blushing? Spirits, she hopes she isn’t.

“You’ve done such a good job with it,” Korra murmurs, and it sounds like she’s getting her thoughts together. “I wish I could…”

“Yeah?”

“Repay you back for what you’ve done.”

Her mind crashes. “...what?”

“I feel...guilty? I don’t know. You’ve done such a good job with the city, and here I am, just getting back, after three years of a mess with myself.” Korra frowns, suddenly. “I don’t know. It feels like I’m not worth it?”

Asami hesitates, then takes her hand. She’s pleased to find Korra doesn’t recoil. “Korra, I built this city so it could be better with all the spirits from Harmonic Convergence. So the world could be more in harmony. So when you came back, and maybe see how amazing it turned out…”

Korra looks up at that, and her face is screwed. Tears are misting in her eyes, now. Tears that make Asami want to kiss her so...

“I-Asami, _really_?”

“Yes, really,” Asami says, and _means_ it with all of her heart. “Raiko was paying me to build all this stuff, but the real reason...maybe it would’ve made you come back sooner.”

Asami stops suddenly, because Korra’s hugging her, _tight_. Asami’s dumbstruck, but quickly wraps her arms around her.

“That is the sweetest…oh Spirits, Asami, you’re _amazing._ ” Korra shakes her head, against Asami’s shoulder. “I really, really missed you.”

Something catches in Asami’s throat, and her heart aches to say something else. Somehow, though, she manages, “I missed you too,” before the words can’t make it out of her mouth.

They’re silent then, for a while, as the sun pours in its last rays of dusk, and they’re there hugging and swaying in the wind. Then, Korra pulls away, and Asami’s happy to see she’s smiling.

“Dinnertime?” she says, smiling with a hint of...something. Something that makes Asami’s heart flutter, and makes her feel…

Special.

Asami chuckles. “Dinnertime,” she says, and fights the urge to hold Korra’s hand as they walk back to the dining hall.

 

* * *

 

 Later that night, Korra tugs on her blankets, and curls up on her bed. Usually, she’s feeling miserable at this time, but now…

She smiles. She’s smiling, big, and she’s going to sleep- _smiling_.

She thinks back over her day- over how many times Asami made her laugh, every smile she had sent her way. Every warm touch, every look of concern…

It was exactly like three years ago. Happiness, warmth. That feeling Korra got in her chest whenever she looked at Asami…

Korra turns, wrapping the blankets closer around her. She’d thought that exploring the city would’ve made her feel guilty, make her regret not coming back sooner. But all she could think of, as she recollected the chrome buildings, and the new roads, and the rail station…

Was how amazing Asami was.

She smiles, curling her chin into her blankets.

She may not have healed, one hundred percent, nor will the memories of Zaheer ever fade. But, for now…

She thinks they will.

She snuggles further into her blankets, thinking of the one person that makes her feel this way.

**Author's Note:**

> We organized a Korrasami Secret Santa over on Tumblr! :) 
> 
> My [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thewillowtree3): Give me a hello if you go on it! :)  
> 


End file.
